Dec 10, 2024 Special Metropolitan Council

MELVIN HARRIS.

HELLO.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

I'M MELVIN HARRIS.

I AM, UM, ASME.

I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ASME LOCAL 30 30.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, LIKE HE SAID, COME IN, GIVE OUR INPUT AND SHOW THAT WE ARE HERE, THAT WHEN NEXT BUDGETS COME OUT OR STUFF LIKE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN OUTDATED.

I'VE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A CONTRACT FOR DBW WORKERS.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND FIRE ARE OUR HEROES AND I SEE A LOT OF CONTRACTS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN RENEW OUR CONTRACT BECAUSE WE ARE HEROES TOO.

DPW WE, WE, WE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE NOT OUT IN THE FOREFRONT, BUT WE KEEP THE CITY OF EAST BATON ROUGE OPERATING PROPERLY BY HAVING LIGHTS, MECHANICS, WORKING ON THE POLICE CARS, KEEPING THEM GOING.

AND WE JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL AND BE CLASSIFIED AS HEROES AS WELL, BECAUSE WE KEEP THE CITY OF EAST BATON ROUGE GOING AS WELL.

FERRIS AND EVENTS TO RAISE MONEY TO KEEP THEIR CITY THAT IS SEPARATED FROM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AS THEIR OWN MAYOR HAS THEIR OWN, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ONE AND TWO? YES MA'AM.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

YES, MY NAME IS ROSALIE WASHINGTON AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I JUST HAPPENED TO BE UP SIX 30 THIS MORNING AND LISTENING TO THE NEWS.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT THE RIGHT UNDERSTANDING THAT TODAY'S MEETING WAS ABOUT ST.

GEORGE WANTING TO, IN MY SENSE OF WANTING TO BREAK THE BANK ACCOUNT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW ALSO WHAT THE ESSENTIAL OF GETTING THEIR 2% ALL AT ONE TIME.

AND I THINK I HEARD THAT THEY SAID THAT IT WAS GONNA BE A $40 MILLION CUT FOR, UM, FOR UM, UM, UM, ST.

GEORGE TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR 48 MILLION.

AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA BE, OR DO I HAVE ANOTHER TIME TO ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS? WOULD THEY BE TRYING, ARE THEY TRYING TO GET THEIR 48 MILLION AT ONE TIME OR JUST GETTING ABOUT $500,000 A MONTH? BECAUSE WOULDN'T THAT BREAK THE, LIKE I SAY, THE BANK OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH? AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT DID CENTRAL, WHAT PERCENTAGE DID CENTRAL AND ZACHARY AND BAKER GET WHEN THEY DECIDE TO SEPARATE FROM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH? AND UM, I KNOW THEY GAVE

[00:05:01]

SO, BUT THEY GIVE DIFFERENT EVENTS TO KEEP THEIR CITY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF EAST BATON WITH PARISH TO THEMSELVES.

SO WHY IS IT THAT WE ARE GIVING, UH, I'M TRYING TO GET UNDERSTANDING A WHOLE $48 MILLION AT ONE TIME.

I MIGHT BE WRONG.

'CAUSE IF WE GIVING THAT MUCH MONEY OUT OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BUDGET TO ONE LITTLE CITY, THAT'S ALL THE MAJOR, UH, UH, EVENTS, HOSPITALS, HO DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND, UM, THE, UM, MALL OF LOUISIANA.

THAT MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE TO EVEN WORK.

IN FACT, THEY COULD GET THEIR BOARD LIKE THIS AND SAY, HEY, I WANNA GIVE YOU A MILLION DOLLARS.

YOU COULD GET A MILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S FOR THE WHOLE YEAR JUST FOR BEING ON THE BOARD FOR A MONTH, FOR ONE DAY OUT OF A MONTH.

SO I'M, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.

'CAUSE MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THE, UH, NEWSCAST 'CAUSE THEY ONLY SAID FOR A FEW MINUTES.

SO I KEEP IT ON CHANNEL TWO NEWS BECAUSE THEY DO REPEAT ITSELF.

SO MY TELEVISION JUST GOES SO LOUD AND MY YEARS HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE OLDER, SO I NEED TO KNOW WHY AM I HERE? 'CAUSE I KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO GIVE ONE LITTLE SECTION OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PULL OFF FROM EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, $40 MILLION AT ONE TIME, SOMETHING IS DEADLY AND DEADLY WRONG FOR THAT.

ESPECIALLY IF CENTRAL ZACHARY AND THEY COULD PEEL THE PULLED OFF AND THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR 1% OR HALF PERCENT OF ATTACKS.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS? SEE NOW WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN MOOCH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM ONE AND ONE EMAIL COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM TWO.

COUNCILMAN MOOCH.

I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A REFERENCE TO, UH, THE, THE LADY'S QUESTION THAT SHE ASKED.

UH, THE, THE 40 48 MILLION, WHATEVER THE, THE TOTAL COMES OUT TO, THAT'S A REVENUE LOSS.

IT'S NOT A PAID OUT ONE TIME AND WE'RE DONE.

IT, IT'S, IT'S A TA 2% OF THE SALES TAX.

WE'LL GO TO ST.

GEORGE CONSTANTLY.

YOU GO BUY SOMETHING IN THE CITY OF ST.

GEORGE, 2% OF THE SALES TAX THAT YOU PAY FOR THE PARISH TAX TOTAL WILL GO TO ST.

AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE REVENUE LOSS THAT'S NOT COMING TO THE CITY PARISH AS A WHOLE.

UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY FORM THEIR CITY.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

I KNOW, UM, AS ONE OF THE INCORPORATORS OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL AND STUFF, WE BASICALLY, WHEN WE INCORPORATED, WE, THE CITY PARISH LOST A WALMART AND A WINN-DIXIE IN THEIR TAX REVENUE.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAD IN CENTRAL AND THE OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND STUFF THAT ARE OUT THERE ALSO.

BUT OUR LARGE TAX PRODUCING INCOME WAS WALMART AND WINN-DIXIE THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE NOW.

IT'S GROWN A WHOLE LOT MORE.

AND THOSE REVENUES ARE WHAT SUPPLY THE, THOSE CITIES, 2% OF THE SALES TAX, THEY SURVIVE STRICTLY OFF OF SALES TAX.

THAT 2% SALES TAX REVENUE, THOSE CITIES DO NOT GET ANY OF THE PROPERTY TAX THAT THE CITIZENS VOTED ON.

THOSE ARE DEDICATED TO CERTAIN THINGS, UH, IS STRICTLY SALES TAX.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE REVENUE OF THIS BUDGET IS COMING IN AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE BRINGING DOWN AND WHAT THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE FOR WHAT'S THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR THE REST OF THE PARISH.

OKAY, BUT HOW MANY CITIZENS DO THEY HAVE THAT LIVES IN ST.

GEORGE COMPARED TO THE OTHER AREA, THE OTHER PART OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH? WELL, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE, THE REVENUE'S NOT ABOUT THE CITIZENS.

I MEAN, AS FAR, IT'S NOT MONEY.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF CITIZENS MONEY, IT'S ABOUT THE RETAIL AND THE SALES TAX THAT IS GENERATED FROM THOSE AREAS.

STAYS IN THAT AREA EXCEPT FOR 2%, WHICH COMES TO THE WHOLE PARISH.

WELL, OKAY.

DOES CENTRAL AND ZACHARY AND BAKER GET 1% OR HALF PERCENT OF THAT? IT, IT'S 2%.

I DON'T KNOW IF BAKER AND ZACHARY, IF THEY WAS ON THE SAME THING.

THEY'VE CREATED YEARS AND YEARS AGO.

BUT I I, AS FAR AS THE PARISH SALES TAX, WHICH IS WHAT, FOUR POINT THE TOTAL SALES TAX PARISH WIDE, YOU HAVE A STATE AND SALES TAX AND A PARISH, WHICH IS COME TO THE OKAY.

UM, SO YEAH, THE, THE THE SALES TAX PART THAT'S GENERATED IN THEIR AREAS, THEY KEEP THAT PART.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EXACT PERCENTAGE IS, COUNCILMAN.

IT'S 2% FOR EVERYBODY.

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, THE PARISH ENTITY GETS 2% AND THEN OF COURSE THE STATE JUST WENT TO 5%.

SO EVERYTHING YOU BUY, EVERYBODY GETS THEIR PIECE OF IT.

AND WHERE THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS ARE GENERATED

[00:10:01]

SO IT, IT'S, IT IS EQUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT IS ABOUT WHAT RETAIL IS OUT THERE AND HOW MUCH THAT AREA IS GENERATING.

UNLESS DO, UM, UH, CHALLENGE TWO NEWS, UM, MISINTERPRETED.

THEY SAID THAT 40 40 MILLION IS GOING BE ABOUT 40 MILLION CUTS GOING BE CUT TO GIVE YOU ALL THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

WELL, YOU ARE LOOKING TO GET 48 MILLION AT ONE TIME.

NO, IT'S A, IT IS A SALES TAX REVENUE EVERY MONTH.

THE CITY PARISH CUTS A CHECK TO BAKER CENTRAL ZACHARY FOR WHATEVER, OR AT LEAST CENTRAL.

I KNOW BAKER AND ZACHARY HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER.

UM, WE GET A CHECK FROM CITY PARISH FOR X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS OF THE SALES TAX GENERATED IN THE ZIP CODE OR IN OUR AREA AND SO ON.

MM-HMM .

SO THOSE, THOSE GET MOVED OVER TO THE CITY OF CENTRAL AND THEY'LL HAPPEN WITH ST.

GEORGE ALSO.

SO IT, IT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A, A BIG IMMEDIATE SALES TAX PAYOUT.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING NEGOTIATED AS FAR AS SOME BACK SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT AS FAR AS SALES TAX ITSELF, THAT IS A MONTHLY GENERATED REVENUE.

WITH, UH, THE SALE TAX.

MOST OF THE, UH, HOSPITALS IN MALL, LOUISIANA AND, AND DOCTOR'S OFFICE LOCATED IN YOUR AREA.

SO IF YOU ALL GONNA GET 2%, WHY, WHY, WHO MADE THE 2% DEAL? WHY NOT 1%.

AND THEN YOU GIVE FARES AND EVENTS LIKE BAKER AND CENTRAL GU TO RAISE MONEY TO CONTROL YOUR CITY THAT IS SEPARATED FROM THE BIG PART OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE 2% INSTEAD OF 1%? THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED LOCAL MUNICIPALITY SERVICES AT THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY.

BAKER CENTRAL, ZACHARY ST.

GEORGE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

MM-HMM .

SO IT'S ITS OWN ENTITY.

ALSO IT'S PART OF THE PARISH GOVERNMENT COUNCILMAN YOU WANT TO EXTRA TIME THEY GET THEIR THING AND THEN THE REST, THE REST GOES TO THE PARISH FUNCTIONS LIKE SEWER AND, AND DIFFERENT STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO MY TIME'S UP.

THAT'S ALL I CAN ANSWER.

THAT'LL BE FINE.

COUNCILMAN HURT.

I'LL COME BACK LATER.

SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS HER, HER BEAUTIFUL SOUL AS WELL.

SO, UM, SHE'S AN AMAZING MEMBER OF, UH, MY DISTRICT, BUT IF Y'ALL JUST GIVE HER A LITTLE PROPS, IF Y'ALL SAW FIGHTING TEMPTATIONS, SHE'S A TAMBOURINE LADY OUT IN NEW ORLEANS.

SHE'S BEEN ON SEVERAL MOVIES AND OTHER STUFF.

SO, UM, COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT, UH, HE EXPLAINED IT THE EXACT WAY AND I WAS HOPING THAT I COULD, AND THEY WERE TALKING.

SO I MIGHT HAVE MISSED A LITTLE PART OF IT.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IF, IF YOU SHOP IN YOUR COMMUNITY, THAT MONEY STAYS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO PUT IT.

IF YOU WANT TO GROW BUSINESSES WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, BUY FOOD, BUY CARS, BUY WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN YOUR MONEY STAYS THERE.

IF YOU GO TO ST.

GEORGE AND YOU SPEND MONEY THERE, THEY GET YOUR TAXES.

IF YOU DON'T WANT THE MONEY TO GO TO ST.

GEORGE, FIND A BUSINESS IN BATON ROUGE THAT DOES THE SAME THING.

SO, UM, FOR, FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHALLENGES IN THAT AREA, IT'S AN EASY SOLUTION.

I DETERMINE WHERE MY DOLLARS GO.

AND IF I'M FOR ST.

GEORGE, AND I DON'T WANT ANY CITY IN BATON ROUGE NOT TO THRIVE, I BE VERY, I MEAN, IN PARISH, I DON'T WANT ANY FAILING CITIES IN IN, IN IT, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WHATSOEVER.

BUT YOU HAVE A, A DECISION OF WHAT AREAS YOU WANT TO SEE GROW AND THOSE ARE THE PLACES YOU SHOULD BE SPENDING YOUR MONEY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU COME BACK TO THE MIC.

SURPRISED YOU DON'T HAVE THAT TAMBOURINE ON YOU RIGHT NOW.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT IN OUR AREA IS JAPANESE, CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, CARILION UP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT COULD BE BLACK PEOPLE THAT, UH, UH, THAT HAVE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THE ONLY WAY WE COULD GET OUT IS WE HAVE TO GO TO ST.

GEORGE TO BUY CLOTHES AND THINGS OR BUY FOOD.

'CAUSE EVERYTHING IS TAKEN UP THAT IS OWNED BY OTHER, OTHER ETHNIC PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WELL, I WANT IT, WE LIKE TO GROW AND BE JUST LIKE ST.

GEORGE TOO.

AS, AS A METROPOLITAN COUNCILMAN, I SERVE EVERYBODY IN THE PARISH REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, COLOR, POLITICAL PARTY.

WELL, I'M NOT SAYING THE COLOR.

I'M SAYING ALL THE STORES.

YOU KNOW, WHAT I WILL SAY IS, AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESSES TO WAIT TO SPEND YOUR DOLLAR.

SO, RIGHT.

SO, AND WHATEVER, THAT'S THE SAME ANSWER, WHETHER IT BE IN ST.

GEORGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WELL WE DON'T HAVE ANY WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR DOLLAR AND WHAT BUSINESS YOU CHOOSE TO SUPPORT.

OH, RIGHT.

AND WHEREVER YOU, WHEREVER YOUR DOLLAR GOES IS WHERE THE TAX REVENUE GOES.

SO IF YOU GO TO BACON, SPEND IT, THEY GET THE TAX.

IF YOU GO TO ZACHARY, THEY GET

[00:15:01]

IT.

YOU GO TO CENTRAL, YOU GO TO ST.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN BUY, UM, BALL CRAWFISH DURING CRAWFISH SEASON AND IN EVERY CORNER OF THE PARISH AND YOU LIKE THE CAR THAT'S, THAT THEY BOIL OVER THERE ON, UH, ON O'NEILL LANE.

WELL, OKAY.

JUST LIKE LONG TIME AGO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE.

AND I WANT TO HURRY UP AND FINISH 'CAUSE WE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH HERE.

BUT JUST LIKE MISSISSIPPI BURNING IN ST.

LOUIS, MISSOURI, EVERYTHING WAS BURNT DOWN THAT WHEN WE WAS TRYING TO HAVE OUR OWN BUSINESS.

SO IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE, JUST LIKE MR. MAYOR SAY, HE, IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE.

IT'S TIME FOR A BIG CHANGE.

SO WE WANT A, UH, A BIG GROCERY STORE IN, UH, AREA, UH, DISTRICT FIVE.

WE DO, WE WE HAVE ONE COMPANY.

WE WANT OTHER GROCERY STORES.

WE, WE OTHER, UH, UH, CLOTHING STORES IN OUR COMMUNITY OWNED BY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

AND WE WON'T HAVE TO GO TO NO OTHER DISTRICT TO SHOP OR ANYTHING.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, I I I, I AM WORKING ON A DILIGENT OH RIGHT.

I WITH YOU TO GET WORK WITH ANYTHING THAT'S RIGHT.

AND TO HELP ANYBODY AS LONG THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

ITEM THREE, ADOPTING THE REVISED 2025 PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED CONTRACT FIRE AND POLICE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.

ALRIGHT.

YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

ANYBODY ELSE? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON? SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA.

ANY OPPOSED? SHOWING COUNCILWOMAN AMAROSA IN OPPOSITION.

ANYBODY ELSE? MOTION CARRIES.

[3. 24-01544 Adopting the revised 2025 pay plan for the Classified, Unclassified, Non-classified, Contract, Fire, and Police Employees of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge; establishing the effective date of said plan as December 28, 2024; and repealing all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith. By Human Resources Director.]

ESTABLISHING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SAID PLAN AS DECEMBER 28TH, 2024.

AND REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HERE WITH BA HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE MS. LETICIA CANNON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M LETICIA CANNON.

I AM A UNION CITY PARISH EMPLOYEE AND I COME ON BEHALF TO SPEAK OF ALL OF THE DILIGENT FAITHFUL EMPLOYEES OF CITY PARISH WHO HAVE NOT SEEN, UH, INCREASE IN THEIR PAY IN ALMOST 10 YEARS.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE 2025, WE DID NOT HAVE A SAY SO IN THAT BECAUSE OF WHAT OUR PRESIDENT SPOKE OF.

BUT GOING HIS FORTH MORE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SAY.

SO IN THE PAY PLANS WE HAVE, THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR AND FIVE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO SAY THAT WE ARE WAY BELOW AVERAGE FOR SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE DO.

AND HAVING ONE PERSON TO DO TWO AND THREE PEOPLE'S JOBS BECAUSE WE CANNOT HIRE ANYBODY AT THESE PARTICULAR PAY RATE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK IN BEHALF OF THE CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEE NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL COUNCILMAN HURST.

JUST QUICK RESPONSE.

SO I, I DID, UH, WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO INITIATE, UH, A CASE STUDY LAST YEAR AND THE REST OF THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE DID GET THE RESULTS BACK, WHICH SHOWED A HUGE DISPARITY FROM WHERE WE ARE TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

UH, WE ALL WORKING THROUGH THAT PLAN TO GET THERE.

IT TOOK ABOUT NINE MONTHS, MAYBE A YEAR TO GET THROUGH THE, THE, THE, UM, PIECE OF IT.

I THINK THE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO LOOK AT RESTRUCTURING BENEFITS, NOT TO TAKE 'EM AWAY, BUT HOW DO WE GIVE YOU ENOUGH MONEY TO WHERE YOU LIVE EXTREMELY WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK TWO OR THREE JOBS AND THEN YOU RETIRE EVEN BETTER.

RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WITH BOTH THE RETIREMENT BOARD WITH, UH, MS. PEARSON, UM, AND, AND HUMAN RESOURCES TO DETERMINE FROM HEALTH AND FRINGE BENEFITS.

HOW CAN WE RESTRUCTURE THOSE? MAYBE, UM, I I JUST, WHAT WHATEVER OPTIONS THERE ARE TO PROVIDE REDUCTION IN COST TO US SO WE CAN TRANSFER THOSE SAVINGS TO YOU ALL.

AND THEN IF, IF NEED BE, UH, WORST CASE SCENARIO, GO TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, HEY LISTEN, IF YOU WANT BETTER SERVICES, YOU GOTTA INVEST IN WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK AND PLAY, RIGHT? WE NEED MORE MONEY TO DO SO.

THEN THERE'S ALSO THE OPTION WE LOOKED AT OF, OF REDIRECTING CERTAIN MILLS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT CITY PARISH.

SO WE, WE HAVE MULTIPLE, A PLETHORA OF ITEMS, BUT WE CAN'T GET TO THAT FINAL PIECE OF WHERE DO WE GET THE REST OF THE MONEY UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHAT RESTRUCTURING LOOKS LIKE.

SO WE ARE FIGHTING VERY HARD.

I WANT IT AS MUCH AS YOU DO.

UM, I BELIEVE WHEN I MAKE A PHONE CALL TO DPW ASK FOR RESOURCES OR EVEN SOCIAL SERVICES AND THEY TELL ME WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE TO DO IT.

NOT THAT WE AREN'T, AREN'T

[00:20:01]

IT PUTS US IN A BAD POSITION.

THE ONLY POWER WE HAVE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS THE POWER THAT Y'ALL GIVE US BY BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS.

SO IT MEANS JUST AS MUCH TO US AS IT DOES TO YOU.

I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THERE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COME ON.

YEAH, YOU CAN GO ON, BUT I'LL TAKE BOTH MY DOUBLE NECK.

COME ON.

YOU GOOD.

AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK, UH, REAL BRIEFLY ON THAT, AGAIN, MY NAME IS HAROLD GREER, PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 30 30, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THAT CASE STUDY AND STUFF.

UH, AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE WE REPRESENT THE, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH BUS OPERATORS ALSO, AND WE UNDERSTAND THE DILEMMA WITH HAVING TWO SUBCONTRACT WITH FIRST STUDENT.

YOU TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL BUSES, NOT CATS.

THAT'S, THAT'S A TU GO AHEAD.

YEAH, SCHOOL BUSES.

AND THAT'S A CRAZY AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO OUTSOURCE FOR OUR BUS OPERATORS HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

AND OUR BUS OPERATORS ARE SERIOUSLY, THEY'RE KIND OF UPSET BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING THEM WAY MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE PAYING OUR OPERATORS RIGHT NOW.

AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHY THAT'S NOT TRUE IN CITY PARISH.

MM-HMM .

UM, IT SEEMS THAT WAY, BUT IT'S NOT TRUE.

UH, IT IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THOSE CONTRACTORS DON'T GET BENEFITS.

AND IN CITY PARISH WE ARE BROKEN TO THE CORE IN TERMS OF PAY STRUCTURE BECAUSE FOR EVERY DOLLAR BASED ON THE PAY STUDIES, UH, RESULTS, WE HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER 75 CENTS TO PAYING BENEFITS.

SO FOR ANY PERSON MAKING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER $75,000 TO PAY FOR BENEFITS.

THAT WAS BASED ON THE PAY STUDY RESULTS.

AND THOSE SMALL BUSINESS IN AMERICA CAN SURVIVE AND THRIVE IF WE HAD TO STRUCTURE BENEFITS THAT WAY.

SO THAT'S WHY THINGS HAVE TO BE, UH, MANIPULATED, RESTRUCTURED, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO BE, UM, SO THAT WE REDUCE THE, THE BURDEN OF BENEFIT TO 75%, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE THOSE SALARY SAVINGS AND THEN BRING IT OVER TO YOU.

AND ONCE WE DO THAT, DETERMINE WHAT'S LEFT AND THEN GO TO THE PUBLIC OR LIKE WE SAID, REDUCE MILLAGES OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO CLOSE THAT GAP.

SO MY ANSWER TO YOU IS, UH, YOU ARE CORRECT IN TERMS OF IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR WITH CONTRACTING, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THOSE FRINGE BENEFITS TYPICALLY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE FOR CITY PARISH, INCLUDING PENSION AND OTHER THINGS.

SO THEY GET PAID MORE.

'CAUSE IT, WE ACTUALLY PAYING THEM MORE ACTUALLY MAKES US PAY LESS OR MAKES OTHER ENTITIES PAY LESS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES SIR.

ALRIGHT.

GEORGE COULD INCORPORATE.

DANTE.

YEAH, IF I NEED, YOU WANT JUDGE STOP IF HE WANTS TO.

YES, THAT'S FINE.

OH, I'M GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY QUICK AT THIS MICROPHONE.

THE LONGER I STAY UP HERE, THE MORE TROUBLE I GET INTO.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND, UH, TO THE INITIAL COMMENT THAT WAS MADE, UM, AND JUST DO REITERATE AND REMIND ABOUT A FEW THINGS.

UM, SO AT THE TIME THAT WE STARTED WORKING ON THE TOTAL COMPENSATION, UH, STUDY THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST ALLUDED TO, WE HAD NOT YET RECEIVED A SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT ST.

UM, SO WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS, UH, TOTAL COMPENSATION STUDY, TRULY IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE EVERY INTENTION ON MAKING SURE THAT WE COULD PAY THE FOLKS THAT WORK FOR THIS CITY AND THIS PARISH APPROPRIATELY.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT EXPECTING TO GO INTO THE YEAR 2025 WITH MORE THAN A $40 MILLION HIT TO OUR BUDGET.

SO UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THAT TOTAL COMPENSATION STUDY.

HOWEVER, WHEN WE DID CRAFT THIS BUDGET, WE DID DO IT IN A WAY IN WHICH ANY PERSON THAT WORKS FOR THIS GOVERNMENT THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR THEIR 3% ANNUAL MERIT RAISE IS STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT MERIT RAISE.

WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THAT OUTTA THE BUDGET.

SO THOSE RAISES WILL COME INTO EFFECT.

AND ADDITIONALLY, AS RECENTLY AS TWO YEARS AGO, THIS MAYOR, THIS ADMINISTRATION DID PUT IN, UH, ENTIRE RAISES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL CITY PARISH EMPLOYEES.

THERE WAS A 7% FOR THE POLICE AS WELL AS ANOTHER 5% FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND PARISH.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ARTICULATE THAT.

ALRIGHT, IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON? SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HARRIS.

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE AND CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND AGENCIES TO WHICH APPROPRIATIONS ARE MADE AND ESTABLISHING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF DECEMBER 28TH, 2024.

ITEM FOUR, FIXING THE

[4. 24-01545 Fixing the number of employees of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, the City of Baton Rouge, and agencies to which appropriations are made; and establishing the effective date of December 28, 2024 and repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith. By Human Resources Director.]

AND REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND CONFLICTS HEREWITH BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN JR.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

FIVE, ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING, ADOR TAX MILLAGES TAX MILLAGE RATES

[5. 24-01540 Adopting the following ad valorem tax millage rates within the boundaries of the following taxing jurisdictions on all taxable property (except that the millage rate for the downtown development district shall be levied on real property only) to be levied during the year 2025. MILLAGE East Baton Rouge Parish Operating Tax 2.96 City of Baton Rouge Operating Tax 5.44 City of Baton Rouge Three Platoon Police Tax 0.82 East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District 1.06 East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control District (additional) 0.35 East Baton Rouge Parish Library 9.89 Council on Aging 2.00 Mental Health & Substance Abuse 1.33 Emergency Medical Services 3.13 Baton Rouge Municipal Fire Salaries & Benefits 5.68 Consolidated Road Lighting District No. 1 1.71 Alsen Fire Protection District No. 9 9.82 Alsen Fire Protection District o. 9 (additional) 4.91 Alsen Fire Protection District No. 9 (additional) 10.00 Brownsfield Fire Protection District No. 3 8.83 Brownsfield Fire Protection District No. 3 (additional) 4.41 Brownsfield Fire Protection District No. 3 (additional) 8.83 Brownsfield Fire Protection District No. 3 (additional) 10.00 Downtown Development District 9.50 Fire Protection District No. 1 8.52 Pride Fire Protection District No. 8 8.97 Pride Fire Protection District No. 8 (additional) 13.45 Chaneyville Fire Protection District No. 7 9.09 Chaneyville Fire Protection District No. 7 (additional) 9.09 Chaneyville Fire Protection District No. 7 (additional) 9.09 Chaneyville Fire Protection District No. 7 (additional) 10.00 By Finance Director.]

[00:25:01]

WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE FOLLOWING, TAXING JURISDICTIONS ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY, EXCEPT THAT THE MILLAGE RAID FOR THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT SHALL BE LEVIED ON REAL PROPERTY ONLY TO BE LEVIED DURING THE YEAR 2025.

ASHLEY, CAN YOU READ THE MILLAGES EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OPERATING TAX 2.96 MILLS, CITY OF BATON ROUGE OPERATING TAX.

5.44 MILLS, CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX 0.82 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND RODENT CONTROL DISTRICT 1.06 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND RODENT CONTROL CONTROL DISTRICT ADDITIONAL 0.35 MILLS EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY, 9.89 MILS.

MILLS, CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL 9.09 MILLS, CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL 9.09.

MILLS, CHENEY, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER SEVEN, ADDITIONAL 10.0 MILLS BY FINANCE DIRECTOR.

DOES ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SAY NOW GO TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND ON POSITION TO ITEM FIVE, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HURST.

ANY OPPOSED? COUNCILMAN RAA? SO EACH YEAR WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AND WE LOOK AT MILLAGES AND MILLS AND, UM, I JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC AND THEM TO HAVE A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

MS. ANGIE, WOULD YOU MIND PLEASE COMING UP? UM, I THINK WE HEAR THESE WORDS OFTENTIMES, BUT WE DON'T PUT THE NUMERICAL VALUE THAT'S ATTACHED TO WHAT A MILLAGE ACTUALLY IS.

AND IN OUR BUDGET BOOKS, UM, WE HAVE, WE ARE PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE PUBLIC ALWAYS IS.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A MILLAGE, IF IT'S A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE, IS IT TRUE THAT IT IS $5.4 MILLION? MM-HMM .

AND SO WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT, LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY AT 9.89 MILLAGE, SO APPROXIMATELY, SINCE THAT'S A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE, THEY RECEIVE $31.8 MILLION OF TAX REVENUE FROM THE PUBLIC EACH YEAR.

CORRECT? APPROXIMATELY, GIVE OR TAKE, I'LL GET MY, IS I NEED TO VERIFY THAT WITH THE BUDGET BOOK.

BUT I MEAN, IF YOU DID THE MATH, I THINK THAT WOULD EQUATE TO THAT.

BBR.

AND THEN, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT, AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS CONFUSING TO FOLKS, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE I JUST WANT SOME CLARITY FOR THE NEWS FOR, FOR PEOPLE AT HOME TO UNDERSTAND, THERE'S ALSO MILLAGES THAT ONLY PERTAIN TO CITIES, CORRECT? MM-HMM .

AND SO IF WE HAVE ONLY A CITYWIDE MILLAGE THAT MILLAGE, WHAT THAT NUMBER EQUATES TO IS, IS IT $3.2 MILLION IS THE VALUE OF A CITYWIDE MILLAGE? LET, LET ME GET MY BUDGET.

BUDGET, OKAY.

I'M SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY.

SO IN THE BUDGET BOOK BACK IN THE GLOSSARY, WE DO PROVIDE ONE MILLAGE AND LIKE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA IS DOING, IF YOU TAKE THE ONE MILLAGE AND MULTIPLY IT TIMES THE AUTHORIZED MILLAGE, YOU CAN COME UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GENERATED.

SO, UM, FOR A CITY IT'S ABOUT 2.3, AND THIS IS NET OF COMMISSIONS 2.3.

SO WE'RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO PAY SOME ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, WHICH IS THE COMMISSIONS ASSOCIATED BY LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE.

AND THEN A 10, THOSE LOOK LIKE REALLY LARGE NUMBERS BASED UPON WHAT WE DESCRIBE THOSE MILLAGES AS BEING.

SO I I'M SORRY, I HAD MY NUMBERS INVERTED, SO I'M GLAD YOU YOU, YOU COVERED ME THERE.

SO, AND WHENEVER WE SAY CITYWIDE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT E THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

YES, MA'AM.

CORRECT MA'AM.

SO WHENEVER WE LOOK TO, LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, CHENEY V FIRE PROTECTION AND WE SEE THAT THEY HAVE 9.09 FOR DISTRICT SEVEN, AN ADDITIONAL 9.09, AN ADDITIONAL 9.09,

[00:30:01]

UM, BUT THEY'RE CHENEY V'S.

MILLAGE ISN'T ANYWHERE CLOSE TO A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE OR TO THE CITY'S MILLAGE, CORRECT? AGREE.

SO FOR CHENEY V JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, UH, THEIR TOTAL MILLAGES ONLY, UH, EQUATE ABOUT $509,000.

SO IT'S NOT, UM, A COMPARABLE TO A PARISH WIDE MILLAGE.

OKAY? AND SO WE PUT ALL THESE TOGETHER AND YEAR OVER YEAR, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT OFTENTIMES THE PUBLIC, THE NEWS FOLKS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT REDEDICATING TAXES, LOOKING AT THESE LARGE MILLAGES, SEEING WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, I I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN APPRECIATION FOR THE DIFFERENT SIZE OF THAT NUMERICAL VALUE OF A MILLAGE.

UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH OPERATING TAX, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT THE PARISH, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE OPERATING TAX.

AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE THREE PLATOON POLICE TAX, THOSE WOULD BE CITY MILLAGES, CORRECT? MM-HMM .

SO THAT CHANGES YES.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AND RODENT IN CONTROL, AND WE LOOK THAT'S LESS THAN TWO MILLAGES, BUT THOSE, THOSE ARE PARISH WIDE VILLAGES.

CORRECT.

SO THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE LARGER ONES, CORRECT? RIGHT.

EAST BATON ROUGE LIBRARY IS OBVIOUSLY A PARISH WIDE COUNCIL ON AGING.

THEY ARE.

ARE THEY CITY OR ARE THEY PARISH WIDE? PARISH WIDE.

PARISH WIDE, OKAY.

MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

IS THAT ONE PARISH WIDE OR IS THAT A CITY PARISH WIDE? PARISH WIDE, THANK YOU.

EMS, THAT'S GONNA BE PARISH WIDE, BATON ROUGE MUNICIPAL FIRE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

CITY.

CITY, OKAY.

I'M, I'M GETTING IN HERE.

CONSOLIDATED ROAD LIGHTING DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.

IT'S A DISTRICT.

AND THIS, THIS MAY HELP DIFFERENTIATE IF IT'S A, IF IN THE TITLE IT SAYS DISTRICT, THEN IT'S A RESTRICTED GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.

IT'S NOT, IT'S WITHIN THE PARISH, BUT IT'S NOT, SHOULDN'T BE USED FOR ASSESSMENT OF MILLAGES, WHAT THE PARISH MILLAGE WOULD GENERATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND SO WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THOSE LINE BY LINE, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS UNDER SCRUTINY AND I JUST WANT IT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT ONE LOOKS LIKE? THAT ONE GENERATES, YES, PLEASE.

ABOUT $725,000.

RIGHT, SO THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S AN, THERE'S AN APPRECIATION.

I'VE SEEN IT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THEY'RE RAKING IN $5.4 MILLION ON THEIR MILLAGE.

THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

NO, MA'AM.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR US.

AND THE REST ARE, ARE YOUR, YOUR FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'M SORRY THAT I'VE GONE OVER.

YOU'RE GOOD.

BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED THERE TO BE SOME CLARITY WITH THE TRANSITION OF, UM, OF ST.

GEORGE AND, AND LOOKING AT NUMBERS AND ALL THIS SCRUTINY THAT WE'RE UNDER.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE HAS AN UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE REPORTING ON IT, WHAT A MILLAGE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW DIFFERENT IT CAN BE IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.

IT'S NOT AN ACROSS THE BOARD NUMBER THAT CAN BE GENERATED, UM, UM, FOR A PARISH VERSUS CITY VERSUS DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE ALWAYS SO HELPFUL.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

ITEM SIX, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE EIS AND AMPER FOR A AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $413,530 FOR THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT AND THE RAISING CANNES RIVER CENTER MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AUDIT FOR 2024 AUDIT YEAR BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.

I HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MOTION.

AND SECOND, DO WE HAVE ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES.

[6. 24-01535 Authorizing the Mayor-President to execute a professional service contract with EisnerAmper, formerly Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC, for an amount not to exceed $413,530 for the Annual Comprehensive Audit and the Raising Cane’s River Center Management Agreement Audit for 2024 audit year, and further authorizing the Finance Director and the Audit Committee Chairperson to execute the engagement letters with said audit. By Finance Director.]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEN NONE.

WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUN JR.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GDAY.

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $134,110 TO PROVIDE ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES FOR INMATES IN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.

ITEM SEVEN,

[7. 24-01537 Authorizing the Mayor-President to execute a contract with the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board in an amount not to exceed $134,110 to provide adult education classes for inmates in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison with for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 and the option for a one-year renewal contingent upon available budget. By Finance Director.]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALL IN ATTENDANCE.

MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER TOMBS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

UH, I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK THIS IS AN AMAZING ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND I WANNA APPLAUD THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT FOR CONNECTING WITH THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN MOTION.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO IS, UM, I'M A CULTURAL PRESERVATIONIST AND LOOKING AT THE DATA, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BETTER ITEMS I'VE SEEN IN SOME TIME BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS OUR INMATES START TO LOSE HOPE BECAUSE OF THEIR CONDITION.

AND I THINK EDUCATION IS TRULY THE SKELETON KEY, SKELETON KEY TO SUCCESS.

SO I WANT TO JUST SAY I APPRECIATE THE ADMINISTRATION AND YOU GUYS PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.

[00:35:01]

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

THANK YOU SIR.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEN? NOW I'M GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.

SECOND COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT, AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM SEVEN.

EIGHT, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH TAX COMPLIANCE AND RECOVERY LLC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $125,000 FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATING TO RECOVERY OF SALES AND USE TAXES BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.

[8. 24-01538 Authorizing the Mayor-President to execute a professional services agreement with Tax Compliance & Recovery, LLC in an amount not to exceed $125,000 for the performance of certain professional services relating to recovery of sales and use taxes. By Finance Director.]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DON, JR.

NINE, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO RENEW A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CONVENIENT CARE LLC, TOTAL OCCUPATIONAL MEDICAL IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $320,830 ANNUALLY FOR THE MEDICARE MEDICAL RELATED SERVICES.

[9. 24-01546 Authorizing the Mayor-President to renew a Professional Services Contract with Convenient Care, LLC (Total Occupational Medical) in an amount not to exceed $320,830 annually for medical-related services and $335,000 annually for fifth-year wellness physicals for the Baton Rouge Fire Department, effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. By Human Resources Director.]

AND 335,000 ANNUALLY FOR FIFTH YEAR WELLNESS PHYSICALS FOR THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE GO TO COUNCIL.

WE HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM EIGHT AND NINE.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT, TO RENEW A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH FRANCISCAN HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES, INCORPORATED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $360,000 ANNUALLY FOR HEALTH LIVE SERVICES BY THE HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 10,

[10. 24-01547 Authorizing the Mayor-President to renew a Professional Services Contract with Franciscan Health and Wellness Services, INC in an amount not to exceed $360,000 annually for Healthy Lives Services, effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. By Human Resources Director.]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SO MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 10.

SEEN NONE WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO RENEW A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH HEALTH RAMED LLC IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $100,000 ANNUALLY FOR VARIOUS MEDICAL AND RELATED SERVICES.

ITEM 11,

[11. 24-01548 Authorizing the Mayor-President to renew a Professional Services Contract with Healthremede, LLC in an amount not to exceed $100,000 annually for various medical and related services, effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. By Human Resources Director.]

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 BY THE HUMAN SERVICES HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 11.

SEE NONE.

GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HUDSON, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN DUNN, JR.

AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO RENEW PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH OUR LADY OF THE LAKE PHYSICIAN GROUP LA CARDIOLOGY ASSOCIATES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 ANNUALLY FOR DIAGNOSTIC STRESS TESTING BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

ITEM 12,

[12. 24-01550 Authorizing the Mayor-President to renew a Professional Services Contract with Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group (LA Cardiology Associates) in an amount not to exceed $60,000 annually for Diagnostic Stress Testing Services, effective January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. By Human Resources Director.]

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL COMMENT IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 12.

SEE NOW WILL GO TO COUNCIL MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN RAZAN.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN, AKA.

13, AUTHORIZING MAYOR PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BRETT FUR OF TAYLOR PORTER, BROOKS AND PHILLIPS LLP FOR THE CONTINUED REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY PARISH IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY OF ST.

[13. 24-01579 Authorizing the Mayor-President to execute an amendment to the professional legal services agreement with Brett Furr of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Philips, LLP, for the continued representation of the City-Parish in negotiations with the City of St. George and to increase the contract by $50,000.00, for a total not to exceed fee of $100,000.00. This matter may be discussed in executive session. By Office of the Mayor-President & Office of the Parish Attorney.]

GEORGE AND TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY $50,000 FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED FEE OF $100,000 BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT, AND THE OFFICE OF PARISH ATTORNEY.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TWO EMAIL COMMENTS.

OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.

I SEE NONE WILL GO TO COUNSEL COUNCILMAN HUDSON.

MOTION TO DEFER FOR 60 DAYS? OBJECTION.

OR DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS IN A NEGOTIATION, BUT I THINK IT'S SMART AND I THINK YOU THINK IT'S SMART AS WELL TO HAVE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION.

WE HAVE A SECOND FOR A DEFERRAL.

WE HAVE A SECOND SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

OKAY, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON MACHINES.

I WAS JUST COUNCILMAN HUDSON, YOU'LL SPEAK? YEAH, JUST JUST TO NOTE THAT I, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION, UH, THEY WANT A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THIS ISSUE.

UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'LL CANCEL THE CONTRACT OR WHAT, BUT, UH, THEY WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, LOOK INTO THE ISSUE AND, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE.

SO ULTIMATELY THAT WILL BE UP TO THEIR DISCUSSION.

UM, CERTAINLY IF WE NEED TO PAY MR. FUR FUR, HE'S DONE SOME WORK FOR US.

UM, BUT I, I THINK WITH AN INCOMING, THE ADMINISTRATION, IT'S BEST TO DEFER THIS ITEM AND AND SEEK THEIR GUIDANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

COUNCILMAN DON JR.

THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION TAKES OFFICE IN JANUARY.

INCOMING ADMINISTRATION CAN DICTATE WHAT GOES ON IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN JANUARY.

YOU REPRESENT THE CITY PARISH OF BATON ROUGE RIGHT NOW.

YOU DO NOT REPRESENT, UH, ST.

GEORGE OR THE, UH, INCOMING ADMINISTRATION.

WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PARISH AND MAKE SURE THE PARISH IS WELL REPRESENTED WITH LEGAL COUNSEL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

WE DON'T DICTATE

[00:40:01]

IT IS NOT SMART TO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION.

SO IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DO YOUR JOB AND DO YOUR FIDUCIARY DUTY, YOU WILL VOTE IN SUPPORT OF PARISH HAVING REPRESENTATION, NOT DISARMING THE PARISH AND NOT HAVING REPRESENTATION.

THIS IS SABOTAGED BY YOU COUNCIL.

UM, MINE'S BROKEN.

COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA.

UH, GUYS, UM, AND LADIES, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THESE DISCUSSIONS BEFORE WITH REGARD TO HAVING PENDING LITIGATION AND HAVING ATTORNEYS ON BOTH SIDES, REPRESENTING INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES AND WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE.

AND WHILE SOME BELIEVE THAT LITIGATION IS OVER, I KNOW BASED UPON THE NEWS ARTICLES THAT I READ, UM, THAT THERE'S STILL A DISPUTE AS TO AN INCORPORATION DAY AND THERE'S STILL A DISPUTE AS TO WHAT IS OWED.

AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, AS A CITY PARISH COUNCIL PERSON, UM, AND AN ADVISED CITIZEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN A SETTLEMENT YET ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS. SO UNTIL THERE'S SOMETHING INKED IN BLACK AND WHITE, WE CANNOT LEAVE ANY OF OUR INTEREST UNREPRESENTED.

UM, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE TAKE A POSITION OR SIDE, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR LEGAL COUNSEL WORKING ON THE BEHALF ON BEHALF OF THE CITY PARISH.

SO AT THERE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY REASON WHY WE DON'T PAY 'EM THE MONEY THAT'S OWED.

UM, AND, AND THERE'S NO REASON THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF LITIGATION THAT WE NO LONGER SHOULD HAVE AN ATTORNEY.

SO UNTIL THOSE THINGS ARE RESOLVED AS A COUNSEL, I BELIEVE IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST PROTECTING THE INTEREST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, PROTECTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT WE REMAIN, UM, REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL IN THIS MATTER.

I DON'T SEE THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE.

OH, THERE'S THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

UM, MR. ROME, CAN YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? WELCOME, SIR.

PERFECT TIMING.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU MR. ROME.

IS THERE A QUESTION ON THE FLOOR? YES SIR, THERE IS.

AND WHAT IS THAT QUESTION? SO THERE'S, THERE'S A QUESTION AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A QUESTION.

UM, THERE'S A DEBATE OR UM, A DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, UH, BRETT FIRST CONTRACT SHOULD BE DEFERRED.

UH, I KNOW THAT HE IS THE LEGAL REPRESE, HE'S THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN THE PENDING LAWSUIT BETWEEN ST.

GEORGE AND THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, HAS IT? NO MA'AM.

AND AT NO POINT COULD YOU STEP IN AS OUR ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT OUR INTEREST IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE THERE'S A CONFLICT, CORRECT? YEAH, I WAS ASKED NOT TO.

YEAH, BUT THERE IS A CONFLICT.

ALRIGHT, SO, UM, AND I HATE TO ASK YOU TO GIVE US ADVICE, BUT YOU ARE A LAWYER SIR.

UM, WOULD IT, TODAY, WOULD IT BE ADVISABLE FOR US TO BE UNREPRESENTED AT ANY TIME? UM, I, I WOULD NOT WANT Y'ALL TO BE UNREPRESENTED IN THAT, ON THAT, ON THAT PO ON WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

AND SO IF, IF NEW ADMINISTRATION WOULD DECIDE THAT THEY NO LONGER WANTED THE REPRESENTATION OF BRETT FURR AND HIS FIRM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HE COULD DO AFTER HE'S SWORN IN? I DON'T KNOW.

'CAUSE NO ONE FROM THE NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS REACHED OUT TO ME.

I DON'T KNOW.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT IS CONCERNED, IS THERE AN, AN EXIT CLAUSE FOR THAT CONTRACT? IS THAT POSSIBLE? TYPICALLY, AND MS. SMITH IS TELLING ME, YES, THERE IS AN EXIT CLAUSE.

TYPICALLY THERE'S A 30 DAY NO REASON YOU CAN WITHDRAW.

DO WE HAVE THAT IN THIS CONTRACT? MS. SMITH LET HER COME UP HERE.

I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO MISSTATE IT.

I THINK IT'S IN THERE.

IS THAT IN THIS CONTRACT? YES.

ACTUALLY IN THIS CONTRACT, IF THERE'S ANY REASON THAT, UM, THE WORK SHOULD CEASE, ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LET THE FIRM KNOW WE PAY WHAT WE'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S OWED.

AND, AND THAT'S THAT.

THANK YOU MS. SMITH.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT GAVE A RULING THAT LITIGATION IS OVER, BUT IS, ARE THERE STILL LEGAL MATTERS PENDING BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES? THERE'S NOTHING FI WELL, YEAH, THERE'S SOME ANNEXATION THAT, THAT ARE PENDING.

UM, HAS NOT, HAS THIS CORPORATION DATE BEEN SET OR AGREED UPON? NOT YET.

BUT LEGALLY IT SAYS THERE IS THERE, DOES THE LAW SAY THAT ONE SHOULD BE SET? I, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE ONE.

AND IS THAT SET BY YOU MR. ROE? IT'S NOT SET BY ME, NO.

WHO IS THAT SET BY? WELL, IT'S TYPICALLY SET BY THE COURTS.

WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME AGREEMENT TO THAT, BUT I THINK EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME COURT SAY THIS IS OR INCORPORATION.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A COURT STATE THAT THERE IS AN INCORPORATION DATE SET, CORRECT? NO, NO.

COURT HAS SAID THAT.

AND IN ABSENCE OF A LOWER COURT SETTING AN INCORPORATION DATE, HOW IS AN INCORPORATION DATE SET TYPICALLY AND TRADITIONALLY IT'S, IT'S ASKED BY THE COURT.

[00:45:01]

YEAH.

UM, IS THERE AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION OUT THERE THAT SAYS IF AN INCORPORATION DATE HAS NOT BEEN SET BY A LAW COURT, IT'S THE DATE OF THE LAST JUDICIAL PROCEEDING IN THE MATTER? I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I THINK IT SAYS SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

THERE IS AN AGS OPINION OUT THERE.

YES, BUT YET THERE'S STILL LITIGATION.

THERE'S STILL WHAT? THERE'S STILL PENDING LITIGATION OR A PENDING MATTER WHERE THERE HASN'T BEEN A SETTLEMENT REACHED CURRENTLY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A FINAL JUDGMENT, BUT WE HAVEN'T RESOLVED EVERYTHING WITH THE CITY OF ST.

THANK YOU, SIR.

I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

COUNCILMAN HUDSON? GREG, COME ON MAN.

SO, UH, I POSED THE QUESTION TO YOU EARLIER TODAY ABOUT THE AMOUNT THAT WE CURRENTLY OWE MR. FUR.

DO, DO YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER YET, LISA? YOU GOT THE NUMBER? NO, WE DON'T HAVE, I CAN GET IT FOR YOU.

I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN.

I JUST HAVEN'T GOT, WE, WE EXPECT THAT IT'S STILL BELOW THE 50,000 AMOUNT.

RIGHT? I THINK WE'RE APPROACHING THAT MARK, DON'T YOU THINK MS. SMITH? I THINK IT IS.

YEAH.

RIGHT.

AND SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, IF WE NEEDED TO PAY MR. FUR TODAY, WE COULD JUST CUT HIM A CHECK, RIGHT? WE WE'RE THE WE DON'T NEED THIS ITEM TO PASS TO BE ABLE TO PAY MR. FUR.

I'D HAVE TO ASK MR. CONTRACT HUNDRED THOUSAND.

SHE SHOULD CUT A CHECK.

UNLESS LISA'S GONNA COME AND ADVISE US ON THAT.

YEAH, I COULDN'T SAY THAT.

UM, I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THE ACCOUNTS FOR MR. FERR AT THIS TIME.

IF THE AMOUNT IS UNDER 50,000, THEN WE, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

RIGHT? THAT IS THE CURRENT AMOUNT OF HIS CONTRACTS NOT TO EXCEED.

RIGHT.

UM, SO LOOK, I'M NOT ASKING CITY PARISH TO GO UNREPRESENTED.

I DON'T THINK THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GONNA CONTINUE BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TAKING PLACE.

UH, BUT ALSO THIS CONTRACT AS I READ IT, UM, IT'S NOT FOR REPRESENTATION IN ANY SPECIFIC SUIT.

UM, IT IS FOR NEGOTIATIONS, UH, AROUND THE TRANSITION.

IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, SIR.

SO THIS IS NOT, UH, DIRECTED TOWARDS PEN ACTUAL PENDING LITIGATION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.

GREAT.

ALRIGHT.

I WANNA, I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MY JUDICIARY RESPONSIBILITY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MY OBLIGATION AS A, AS A CITY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

UH, COUNCILMAN DUNN AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, LOOK, YOU AND I ARE FRIENDS, WE, WE GET ALONG GREAT.

UH, BUT I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT BEING CALLED INTO QUESTION IN THAT WAY, AND I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

UM, SO AGAIN, UH, I THINK WITH AN INCOMING ADMINISTRATION, I THINK IT'S THE WISEST WAY TO GO.

LET HIM EVALUATE THE TEAM THAT HE WANTS TO HAVE REPRESENT THE NEGOTIATIONS IN THE FUTURE AND MOVE FORWARD THAT WAY.

UM, THERE'S NO SENSE IN HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF, UH, A BILL GOING UP BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

I I UNDERSTAND YOU THINK THAT, BUT I NEED YOU TO KNOW HE HAS NOT ASKED ME TO DO THAT.

I I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I UNDERSTAND.

HE'S, HE'S BEEN CA MAYOR ELECT FOR A COUPLE DAYS NOW.

SO , HE'S HE'S GETTING THERE.

I KNOW, BUT IT'S BEING ALLEGED THAT HE WANTS THIS DEFERRED AND HE'S NEVER TOLD ME THAT.

I, I UNDERSTAND.

SO HE'S TOLD SOMEBODY, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE MAKING THAT REPRESENTATION, BUT HE HASN'T TOLD ME, SO I UNDERSTAND.

THAT, THAT'S MY MOTION.

I I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND, UM, WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

THANK Y'ALL.

COUNCILMAN DUN, JR.

IT'S A WORD THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND FRIEND IS ONE OF THOSE WORDS.

WE ARE NOT FRIENDS, WE'RE ASSOCIATES AND COLLEAGUES.

AND YES, YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PARISH IS REPRESENTED NOT ONLY IN LEGAL MATTERS, BUT NEGOTIATIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S NEGLIGENT FOR YOU TO COME HERE AND ACT AS IF YOU REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENCY WHEN WE KNOW YOU'RE REPRESENTING ST.

SO IF YOU WANT TO REPRESENT ST.

GEORGE, WHY YOU DIDN'T RUN FOR SET THE ST.

GEORGE COUNCIL, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL OF US HERE TO REPRESENT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY PARISH, OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

AND YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT.

ITEM 14, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE RIVER CENTER TO EXECUTE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH TOTAL BS INC.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.

FIRST.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT.

WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE MACHINES.

MACHINES ARE OPEN.

WHEN THE MOTION TO APPROVE, JUST LET ASHLEY KNOW.

NO MOTION CARRIES.

[14. 24-01581 Authorizing the Mayor-President, on behalf of the River Center, to execute a professional service agreement with Total BS, Inc., to advise on the production of the River Center Redevelopment Request for Proposals (RFP), RFP selection process, and selection criteria. The term of the agreement is six (6) months in an amount not to exceed $60,000.00. By Office of the Mayor-President & River Center.]

TO ADVISE ON THE PRODUCTION OF RIVER CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, RFP SELECTION, PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA.

THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS SIX MONTHS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000 BY THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT AND RIVER CENTER.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEN NONE

[00:50:01]

WILL GO TO COUNCIL.

UH, REAL QUICKLY, COUNSEL MEMBER, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED TWO EMAIL COMMENTS IN OPPOSITION.

ITEM 14, COUNCILWOMAN ROCCO.

HEY, I HAVEN'T SPOKE THIS MUCH ALL YEAR LONG AND IT'S GIVEN ME ANXIETY THAT I'M HAVING TO TALK THIS MUCH, BUT I DO, I CAN'T.

I'D BE REMISS WITHOUT GOING ON THE RECORD AND SAYING THAT, LOOK, I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING AT THESE AGENDA ITEMS AND WE'RE RECEIVING A LOT OF SCRUTINY FOR TOTAL BS INC.

AND I JUST WANT TO CLEAR IT UP FOR THE RECORD FOR PEOPLE THAT DUNNO HOW TO OPEN THE ATTACHMENTS TO READ THE REST OF THE AGENDA ITEM.

AND THAT IS TOTAL BS IS BUTCH BEAN.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

UM, AND BUTCH IS A, A GENTLEMAN THAT BASICALLY IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, MOVED NASHVILLE FIELD FORWARD IN A TREMENDOUS, AMAZING WAY.

UM, HE MADE NASHVILLE THE CITY THAT IT IS NOW.

UM, HE'S VERY COMPETENT, HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

HE HAS A LOT OF, UH, CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HE KNOWS HOW TO BRING, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO BATON ROUGE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT HE WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL CHOICE WHEN LOOKING AT THE RIVER CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.

SO, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I JUST NEEDED TO CLEAR UP FOR THE RECORD AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE WHAT TOTAL BS MEANS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILMAN MO.

SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT WOULD NOT BE TOTAL BS IF WE PASSED THIS? THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.

OKAY'S, JUST MAKING SURE YOU KNOW.

ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN AKA.

SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

ANY OPPOSED? TOTAL BS CARRIES .

15, AUTHORIZING MAYOR, PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT WITH RUDD AND WISDOM INC.

[15. 24-01584 Authorizing the Mayor-President to execute a four-year contract with Rudd and Wisdom, Inc. for the performance of actuarial services related to Other PostEmployment Benefits (OPEB) liabilities in the amount of $61,750 as required for the completion of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. By Finance Director.]

FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF ACTUARIAL SERVICES RELATED TO OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT LIABILITIES AND THE AMOUNT OF $61,750 AS REQUIRED FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.

ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE EMAIL, COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 15.

SEEING NONE, GO TO COUNCIL.

MOTION BY COUNCILWOMAN COLEMAN.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GOLDEY.